Chaeyeon leaned closer to her laptop and pursed her lips, secretary Yang grinned at his boss.

“Don’t worry, president. I already cleared your weekend, so don’t think about~”

“How could an elder of my family say this? Does she not even have an ounce of~” Chaeyeon groaned and swiveled away from her table.

Her aunt, Joori’s mother had done an interview of Shinsegae’s latest project and the woman didn’t miss her chance to comment about Chaeyeon’s recent fashion week party and told the reporter that her own aunt was not even invited to the event. Which led to rumors starting that Chaeyeon has been ignoring her family.

“It will go away, ma’am. I don’t think people will focus on it.”

“I have never invited her to a fashion week party, besides what will she do there?” She pointed out, the girl nodded back at her.

Chaeyeon stood up, her phone pinged and she grabbed it.

“Reschedule the meeting with the admin team tomorrow, I know they need a few more hours to finalize the report,” Chaeyeon continued as she put on her coat.

“Yes, I will, president.”

“Make sure we have textiles and other fabrics ready too, I’d like to see them by this week.” Chaeyeon said with a smile, she exited her office and walked straight to the elevator.

She got inside the machine and typed in a quick reply to Minhyuk, he was asking what to wear at the Shinsegae party, and even joked about putting on ripped jeans just to annoy her aunts.

The doors opened and the girl stepped out, she was about to ask for her car when she noticed a familiar face outside.

“We…had plans?” She blinked at him as she stepped out of the building’s doors, she grimaced at the sudden cold. Shownu grinned and opened one arm to her.

“You were on your way to lunch, huh?” He asked as he felt the girl wrapped her arms around his waist briefly, and buried her face against his chest, Shownu’s brows rose, sensing her distress.

“Well, I was planning to get some take out and go hide in your office.” She said in muffled tones, he chuckled before leaning over to kiss the side of her head.

“Bad day?”

“Not really, well not something I’m not used to. But, I’m glad you’re here, I don’t like driving in the snow.” She pulled away from him and rolled her eyes.

Shownu opened the car’s door for her, then Chaeyeon paused.

“Can we get seafood? Like, spicy stew?” She asked him, Shownu nodded back at her.

“We can get that.”

“You want to talk about that party, huh?” Chaeyeon said, Shownu paused but he slowly nodded.

“That and I want to eat with you.”

“Then we can just get something~”

“It’s fine, get inside. Your nose is already pink.”

Joori pursed her lips as she checked on Instagram, she briefly glance at the male seated across her.

“I’m telling you, it doesn’t make sense.” Jinyoung pressed on, Joori’s eyes went to the bruises on his jaw and under his eyes.

“It’s not like unnie to go to Bali too. She’d rather be somewhere less…sandy.” Joori murmured as she went through Minhyuk’s account.

“Your cousin’s just lying. And somehow, she managed to get this Samsung brat to lie along with her.”

“Still, she managed to talk a Samsung son into doing this with her.” Joori shook her head to herself, but she was smiling.

“She’s probably trying to get my attention again. But this guy~”

“Oppa,” Joori spoke, Jinyoung paused and he met her gaze.

“Do you actually think that she’d still go back to you? You just said so yourself, she has a Samsung son now.”

“Joori,”

“She did this to one up me, you know her,” Joori crossed her legs.

“And it’s unfair how she’s gotten everyone believe her, I even became a laughingstock because of her. She didn’t tell me who he really was.” Joori chuckled and picked up her coffee.

“She doesn’t love him, Joori. It’s always been me.” Jinyoung insisted, Joori glanced at him again.

“Believe what you want to, oppa. We’re both victims here, Oh Chaeyeon…is really something.”

Joori stood up and picked up her purse.

“And everyone should find out how much of a fraud she is.”

“This is…funny.” Minhyuk murmured, Soph looked up from her desk.

“What?”

“I got curious how Joori and that bastard Park Jinyoung tried to dig into Shownu hyung.”

Sophia chuckled and nodded, she shut her laptop close and sat down next to him.

“Apparently, he did a lot of digging. And he only managed to get information about them was because Shownu hyung let it happen.”

“So, that’s why he went all…The Hulk on Park Jinyoung? His pent up annoyance simply, went out?”

“You don’t understand, Shownu hyung allowed Jinyoung to know about him.”

“I get that.”

“Because he wanted him to back off.”

Sophia paused, her brows going up, she leaned her head on his shoulder.

“So, even that time, he already knew that…he already liked her that time, he just..never let it show.”

“You mean, he never let it show too much? He was so obvious.” Soph chuckled, Minhyuk smiled and took her hand in his.

“That’s how much he’d be willing to protect her, so, I don’t think we should worry too much about the party Shinsegae is throwing.” He continued.

“You’re right, it’s pretty much obvious that your cousin will do everything to protect her, and he’s not the type to lose his temper too, but, baby, you’re forgetting one thing.”

“What?” Minhyuk blinked at her.

“What if Joori does something,”

“She can try, Shownu hyung~”

“And Chaeyeon loses it? What happens if Chaeyeon decides to do the tossing people around?”

“Oh.” Minhyuk slowly blinked.

“You may not have noticed, but your best friend is pretty protective of her impressive boyfriend too.”

“This looks good,” Chaeyeon was smiling as she set her coat aside, Shownu pushed her chopsticks to her.

“Joori called me recently,” Shownu began, the girl paused, a little peeved.

“This is our first real lunch, and that’s how you want to start it?”

“Real lunch? Were all the meals I shared with you fake?” Shownu said with a small smile, Chaeyeon sighed and picked up her spoon.

“What did she want? A new phone?” She asked in a flat tone, Shownu chuckled.

“No, but she sounded apologetic and asked me to talk to you.”

“About what? A new phone?”

“Chaeyeon-ah,” Shownu said as he put some peeled shrimps on her bowl.

“She asked me to talk you into considering going to the party. She sounded like she wanted to make amends.” Shownu continued as he began eating, Chaeyeon wanted to roll her eyes.

“And, I think,” He said, she looked up from her bowl.

“Don’t worry, I’ll put on the skimpiest dress I own so they won’t see you, they’ll pick on me instead,” She shrugged as she poured water for the both of them.

“I think you shouldn’t go.”

His words surprised her, she put her spoon down and swallowed.

“I wasn’t expecting that, Son Hyunwoo.” She broke into a smile.

“It doesn’t feel….usual. Why would she put effort in calling me?” Shownu continued, Chaeyeon pressed her lips together.

“Which reminds me,” She said as she stood up and transferred seats, the girl plopped down beside him.

“I never apologized for some of my relatives being rude to you. I feel bad just thinking about it. They even talk crap about your car.” She said as she patted his hand, she pulled her bowl to her side.

Shownu grew amused.

“You transferred here so that I’d peel more shrimps, huh?”

“I just had my nails done. Please?” She mumbled, Shownu laughed and nodded at her.

“And, it’s all in the past. Don’t think too much about it.” He stated.

“Still, it was uncalled for.” Chaeyeon scrunched her nose, she glanced over her shoulder and noticed that some of the female diners were staring at their table. No, staring at the male beside her. She smiled to herself.

“So, about the party, you think I shouldn’t go?” She continued, Shownu suddenly turned to face her.

“I simply think that it might be dangerous for you too, but, if you want to go, let’s do that too.” He smiled at her, Chaeyeon blinked back at him.

“You’re always so jolly when you’re eating.” She muttered as she looked away, she heard him chuckle.

“No, I just like how you’re sitting next to me, and I don’t have to lie anymore.”

“You mean, we. We don’t have to lie anymore. And please,”

“Can we just continue eating? And no talk about Joori? Besides,” She happily continued as she picked up another shrimp.

“If she tries to do something funny again, I have something prepared.” She hummed and clasped her palms together, Shownu blinked at her.

“S—Should I be worried?” He asked her, Chaeyeon chuckled and shook her head at him.

“No, you don’t need to toss people around this time.”

Shownu snorted, and he simply leaned in to kiss the side of her head.

“Just don’t hurt yourself in the process then.”

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